Caged
by Inuyashagrl101
Summary: I stared wide-eyed at the TV, unable to comprehend what I was seeing. It was a picture of me on a 'Missing Person' poster. My mother came on screen rallying a search effort. They were coming. SasuXOCXItachi Triangle. Plz R&R!
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**A/N: **Alright, Well Here's Another Creation From Me And I Really Hope Everyone Who Reads This Enjoys It. It Is Pretty Angsty, So If You're Not Into That Kind Of Story Then Turn Back Now. I Got The Idea For This Story Purely From Watching "Toddlers and Tiaras" And I Sort Of Based It Off Of How I Would Feel If I Were A "Pageant Girl". Here's _Caged, _I Hope You all Enjoy!

Caged, Prologue: Trapped

"The Ultimate Grand Supreme goes to," the pageant hostess paused dramatically. "contestant number eleven, Shiori!"

I sighed and plastered my best pageant smile on as I made my way to the stage to accept my crown. Applause filled the room as the hostess placed the over-sized, rhinestoned monstrosity on my perfectly hair sprayed locks. My heart should've swelled with pride like it usually did when I took the top title, but it didn't. Instead, I felt like a caged animal torn from its natural habitat and put on display for everyone to "ooh" and "ahh" at. I reflexively looked at my mother in the front row. Her face was flushed and glowing as if she was the one who won, her gray-blue irises glazing over with what looked like tears as she gazed up at me.

I had to force myself not to laugh. I knew better than to believe that stupid I'm-so-proud-of-you look she wore every time I took the Ultimate; she'd be back to treating me like her slave when we got home. Seated next to her was the only face in this world that could strike sheer terror into me with a single glance - my new "daddy". His thin lips curved upwards at the corners, forming a crooked smirk that sent an icy shiver up my spine. He was the only person not clapping; he just stared at me, his emotionless eyes burrowing into me with every second that ticked by.

I steeled myself as I walked off stage and back to my mother - I knew what was going to happen tonight.

…

I laid in bed and stared up into the darkness above me. I forced myself to suck in a shaky breath as I looked over at my alarm clock. 12:29 AM. I had just one more minute to prepare myself for what was about to transpire in this endlessly dark cubicle they so graciously called my room. I pricked my ears, listening to the echo of footsteps as they steadily came down the hall as if he wanted me to hear him.

"Sorry, I'm late," he said as he closed the door behind him with a soft _click_. He didn't sound at all apologetic, he actually sounded _excited. _"Hope I didn't disappoint you."

I swallowed hard and squeezed my eyes shut, tears already beginning to well up behind my lids. A soft whimper escaped as he slid into bed next to me.

"Shh, don't cry," he whispered soothingly. He reached out to run his fingertips across my cheek, causing me to instinctively flinch away. "it'll all be over soon enough."

I stayed motionless until the last of the footsteps faded away, leaving the pounding of my heart to fill the silence that followed. Once I was absolutely sure he wasn't coming back, I allowed myself to crumple, curling into a ball in my bed and sobbing violently. My throat felt as if someone had scrubbed it raw with steel wool and my eyes swelled to the size of golf balls; he was never as gentle as he said he'd be. I pulled myself out of bed and staggered blindly to my dresser, dropping to my knees and digging around in the bottom drawer.

My fingers skimmed something cold and rectangular among the various articles of clothing that served only to conceal two very important things. My hand closed around the object and brought it to my face, my thumb flicking it open and closed a few times before igniting it. An orange flame danced just inches from my face, the heat lapping at my skin until it felt like I was being branded. I held the lighter in front of me as I fished around deeper in the drawer until a serrated edge sliced at my hand. I barely winced at the shock of pain that coursed through my palm as I pulled out a steak knife. I examined the freshly-bloodied blade for a minute before heading back to my bed.

I rolled up my sleeves and stared down at the countless white scars that graced them, forming a web of pain and sorrow that took nearly a year to build. I took a shallow breath and held the edge of the knife in the flame of the lighter until it burned an angry red. Before it had a chance to cool off, I buried the blade in my forearm, slicing a jagged gash across my already-scarred skin. I bit my lip and sighed in relief as the iron bit into my skin, scorching the muscle beneath the mangled surface. I might not be able to control my mother's Jekyll-and-Hyde act or _his _nightly visits, but the one thing I _could _control was this.

I clicked the lighter shut and reached behind my pillow for a roll of paper towels. I tore off a few and pressed them firmly to the newest addition to my web. Falling back against my pillow, I remembered the precautions I'd prepared for the night when I'd finally break. _Not yet, _I rolled over to keep an eye on the door. _They don't win yet._


	2. Chapter 2: Free

Caged, Chapter 2: Free

I ground my teeth together as hair stylists and make-up artists buzzed around me incessantly, the stench of hairspray nearly choking me and my face so caked with powder, it felt like I was wearing a latex mask.

"Shiori, don't pout. You'll ruin your make-up," Mother said sharply. "And Margaret, fix her hair! It looks like a rat's nest!" she added, shooting the hair stylist a poisonous glare.

Margaret nodded obediently and grabbed a chunk of my hair, ripping a brush through it before spraying it stiff.

"That hurts," I muttered under my breath.

Mother's head immediately snapped up. "What was that?"

"I said, that hurts!" I nearly screamed back at her.

"Don't you raise your voice at me, young lady," she stalked over to me, eyeing me like a predator eyes its prey. "You know I don't tolerate complaining, so you'd better-"

"I'd better _what?_" I challenged. My eyes narrowed into slits and my hands balled into fists at my sides; whatever possessed me to take on the dictator of all pageant moms was rapidly overpowering the rational part of me that begged me to think about self-preservation. "What're you going to do?"

"You _know _what I'll do," she warned, leaning dangerously close to me. "Don't test me, Shiori."

"Do it," I stared into those stormy, blue-gray eyes without fear for the first time. "I _dare _you."

Despite the fury that boiled in her eyes, she hesitated. Other moms were beginning to turn their attention toward us, eyeing my mother suspiciously. One mom was even whispering to the pageant director and pointing at us in what I assumed was supposed to be a discreet observation of my safety.

I smirked wickedly. "What's the matter, mommy dearest?"

She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips for a minute before deciding that hitting me in public wasn't the best decision. "We'll talk about this when we get home,"

My smile grew wider as she turned to storm away. "Hey, Mom,"

"What?" she hissed over her shoulder.

"You failed."

…

"How _dare _you embarrass me like that!" my mother yelled furiously, demonstrating her anger with wild hand gestures. "You didn't even place!"

"Ever think this isn't completely about you?" I countered. I pulled at my hair to yank it free from the countless bobby pins that I was beginning to think were permanently attached to my head and wiped at my face with the back of my hand; I felt utterly disgusting with all this shit on.

"What're you talking about?"

"I don't want to do pageants anymore!" I screamed in her face. Maybe _this _time, she'd hear me. "I've been trying to tell you for _months, _but you're so self-absorbed that you don't give a damn!"

"Don't you curse at me!" she fired back as if that's all she heard.

"_Ugh!_ You're such a self-centered bitch!"

Mom's hand swung around so fast, I barely had time to anticipate it. The sharp sound of palm-to-face contact echoed throughout the house and my left cheek burned from the impact. In that moment, something inside me snapped; I'd finally had enough. My eyes glazed over with a red film as my hand swung back at her with such force, I could've sworn I'd heard it _whiz _through the air. My palm clapped over her cheek with a horrific, yet gratifying, _slap. _

She gazed at me with wide eyes, carefully lifting her hand to her face. "Shiori…"

"Doesn't feel good, does it?" I spat icily. My hand stung like I'd pressed it to a hot iron, but I didn't care; giving my mom a taste of her own medicine felt _amazing. _

Before the shock wore off, I stormed to my room and locked the door - it was finally time. I waited until they were asleep - well, until she was asleep and _he _was preparing for his 12:30 AM visit - to launch my escape plan. I kept a close eye on the clock to make sure everything went accordingly and headed to my bathroom to begin. I knelt on the cold, tile floor and reached to the very back of the cabinet under the sink, pulling out a box of hair dye. I leaned over the sink and doused my honey blonde locks in dye, the thick substance permeating my hair quickly.

I smiled at my reflection; black _definitely _suited me better than blonde did. I snatched my kohl liner from the medicine cabinet and drew thick, black circles around my eyes, making their sea foam color pop. I fished around inside the cabinet, coming back with a box of small, silver rings. I tore the package open and stuck the rings on my eyebrows, nose, and lip and stepped back to appraise my new look. _Still too me, _I pursed my lips. Peeking out from the top shelf of the medicine cabinet, was a pair of scissors.

I grabbed the twin blades and hacked at my hip-length hair until it reached my shoulders, pulling a chunk of hair forward and cutting it into jagged bangs to complete the transformation. I ruffled my new hair style and smiled; I looked nothing like myself and everything like the _real _Shiori. After gathering up the excess hair, I went back to my room and packed everything I'd need - clothes, more dye, eyeliner and my knife.

_Almost ready, _I opened my closet and ripped all of my overly-expensive pageant gowns from their hangers, piling them high on my bed. I clicked open my lighter and stared at the dancing orange flame; this is it. I giggled excitedly before tossing the lighter onto the heap of pageant staples - silk, satin, and crystals. I slung my bag over my shoulder and crawled out the window, gazing in at the hungry flames that now fed on my old life. I was finally free.


	3. Chapter 3: Desperation

Caged, Chapter 3: Desperation

I breathed in the woodsy aroma of the forest as a light, misty rain began to fall through the trees. My legs wobbled weakly under me, forcing me to take cover among the trees. I collapsed to my knees and braced myself against the damp earth, my entire body shaking from the cold and sheer exhaustion. I had no idea how far from home I'd walked; I guessed I'd gone South and ended up somewhere near a smaller town since I vaguely remember seeing these same houses before. _Not far enough, _I shook my wet tresses. _they'll find me by morning if I stay here. _

I attempted to get my legs back under me, but I hadn't eaten in nearly twelve hours and unbearable fatigue crashed down onto me like a tsunami, forcing me to my knees once more. "Damn," I clenched my jaw and slammed my palm into the muddy grass beneath me. "_C'mon! _Work with me!" I demanded in a feeble attempt to get my body to listen to me. I took a deep breath and pushed my body off of the ground and back onto my feet. I wobbled for a minute and urged my legs forward before they could give out for a third time, each step becoming more difficult to take than the last.

My bag felt like it was getting heavier with every step, weighing down my already soaked and exhausted frame. _Can't give up, _I told myself as a violent shiver rolled through me. _Have to keep going. _I stumbled through the forest until the sky morphed from midnight black to sapphire blue as the sun began to peek over the horizon. The trees finally gave way to what looked like a very rural road. I wandered down the street as the sun bathed the land with its warm, fiery orange rays of dawn.

More houses lined the road the further I headed into town, most of them one or two storey cottages that gradually morphed into larger, more modern homes; I suspected I was getting closer to a suburb. People were just beginning to mill around the town - I counted three joggers, five business men, and two women pushing strollers - all of them casting me skeptical glances. I didn't blame them; I _knew _I looked like I'd just crawled out from under a rock. My eyelids were getting heavier every minute and every muscle in my body was screaming with exertion. I made it to what looked like a park before I collapsed onto a bench and was rapidly overcome by unconsciousness.

"Is she alright?"

"She looks like she's sleeping,"

"Someone should wake her,"

"Hey, are you okay?" a man's voice asked as something gently shook my shoulder. "Can you hear me?"

I groaned drowsily. "Mm, I'm tired."

"I can see that," he chuckled. "Are you hurt?"

"No," I shook my head and reluctantly peeled my eyes open. A young man, maybe about eighteen or nineteen, stared back at me through midnight irises. He was unnaturally pale and had a lush head of ebony hair that spilled over his forehead to his eyebrows. The most prominent feature was a large scar that stretched across the right side of his face and somehow seemed to fit in with the rest of his features. "Who are you?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing,"

I leaned up on the bench and eyed him suspiciously. _He doesn't look dangerous…_

"She's alright," he said over his shoulder. I hadn't even noticed the small crowd surrounding the bench, staring at me like I was going to bite them. "I'll take it from here."

Murmurs rippled through the group as they dispersed, leaving me and the scarred stranger alone.

"You look like you've had a rough night," he smiled at me warmly. Despite his dark features and intimidating scar, he seemed unusually friendly.

"That's an understatement," I mumbled. _I only ran away and set my house on fire…_

"Are you hungry?"

My stomach answered before I did with a more than audible _growl_. I blushed five shades of red and nodded.

"Well, I was just about to have lunch. Would you like to join me?" he offered, his eyes shining with sincerity.

Every "stranger danger" lesson I'd been taught flew out the window; I was starving and he _was _cute. "Sure, I guess."

I dug right into my double deluxe burger, chewing as slowly as I could, savoring the flavors that danced on my tongue.

"Damn, you weren't kidding," he laughed from across the table.

I blushed and wiped at my grease-soaked chin. "So, what's your name?" I asked in hopes of breaking the awkward ice between us.

"Itachi," he replied after swallowing a bite of his salad. "and yours?"

"Shi-" I stopped myself. Giving away my real name probably wasn't the best idea if I wanted to stay hidden. "Shi, just Shi."

"Well, Shi," he smiled as my name left his lips. "where are you from?"

"A city," I took another cheesy bite of my burger. "I'm not sure how far away it is, though."

"I see," Itachi nodded thoughtfully. "and your parents?"

"Don't have any," I replied quickly, my eyes filling with an angry, red haze. "It's just me."

He was quiet the rest of lunch, looking at me through his eyelashes when he thought I wasn't looking; it was as if he was deciding what to do with me. Finally, he spoke. "Do you have anywhere to stay, Shi?"

I shook my head solemnly. "No,"

"Well, then how about you come back to my house?" he proposed with an enticing smile.

"You're asking a girl you just met to stay at your place?" I arched an eyebrow at him. "Do you always ask strangers to stay with you?"

This speculation coaxed a bubble of laughter from Itachi, a deep rumble that made my heart leap. "I'm just being hospitable. I have no reason not to trust you yet and you have nowhere else to go, but if you'd rather stay in the woods, I won't stop you."

I pursed my lips in deliberation. I only knew this guy for an hour and he was already asking me to live with him - who does that? It struck me as odd, but I wasn't about to spend another night wandering around in the woods. It was time to face it - I was desperate. "Alright, fine, but don't try anything."

He laughed again. "Don't worry, I don't go around luring girls to my house so I can bury them under my floorboards."

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "Let's just go."

…

"Alright, welcome home," Itachi motioned around him as we entered a modular home about a half hour from the café we were at.

I looked around the slightly beaten up home, a nondescript gray carpet traveling throughout most of the visible space. The walls were white with what looked like primer and a few of the light fixtures were naked. A well-worn sofa sat in front of a rather small television set while a terrarium filled a space by the east wall.

"What's in there?" I wondered as I approached the glass container.

"That's Billy," Itachi replied. "he's a bearded dragon."

"Oh," I nodded. "Do you live alone?"

"About that-"

"Itachi!" a young girl squealed as she ran from an unseen room and nearly tackled Itachi. She couldn't be more than eleven and sported the same ebony tresses as Itachi; I guessed she was either a sister or some sort of daughter.

"Amaya, this is my friend, Shi," Itachi turned her so she was facing me. "She's going to be staying with us for a while. Shi, this is my little sister, Amaya."

I couldn't stop myself from gasping when she turned; a giant burn obscured the entire left side of her face and most of her neck, sealing her left eye shut and pulling half of her mouth into a perpetual frown. I snapped my jaw shut and tried to focus on the right side of her face.

"It's okay," Amaya smiled sweetly. "You're not used to it, so it's alright if you stare."

I smiled back at her. "I think you're beautiful,"

"So are you," she giggled, turning her attention back to Itachi. "Sasuke won't be happy. He doesn't like new people-"

"Who the _hell _are you?" a boy snarled from the mouth of what looked like a hallway. He leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, his dark eyes inspecting me closely.

"This is Shi," Itachi introduced. "Shi, this is my little brother, Sasuke."

"You brought home _another _stray?" Sasuke sighed dramatically. "Can't you go out without bringing someone home with you?"

"She doesn't have anywhere to go," Itachi countered, his voice rising in volume.

"Oh, boo-hoo," Sasuke rolled his eyes. "She's a big girl, she can fend for herself."

"Give her a chance-"

"Who gave _us _a chance, Itachi?" Sasuke yelled angrily, baring his teeth like a wolf. "No one bothered to help us when we needed it, so why should we help anyone else?"

"_Because _no one helped us, Sasuke!" Itachi roared back. "_That's _why we should help people!"

"Whatever," Sasuke huffed. "I don't want anything to do with her." and with that, he stalked back down the hall, the slam of a door quickly following his exit.

"Sorry about him," Itachi sighed apologetically. "He's…moody."

"It's fine," I smiled briefly, staring after Sasuke. "I know how he feels."

**A/N: **Alright, So That Was Chapter 3. I Tried To Make It a Bit Longer Since The Last Two Chapters Were Really Short And Just So I Don't Get Any Hate Mail, I Made Itachi Nicer And More Compassionate Because That's How I View Him. I Find Him The Sweeter And More Understanding Brother While Sasuke's The Moodier, More Damaged Brother. Amaya Was Just a Little Addition Cause I Can Just Picture Them Having A Sweet, Little Sister. Oh, And Her Name Is Pronounced SHY Not SHI Like The First Half Of Her Name, I Only Spelled It Was An "I" Cause It Went With Her Name. I Guess That's All I Have To Say About This Chapter So Thanks For Reading And Please Review!


	4. Chapter 4: Nightmares

Caged, Chapter 4: Nightmares

The rest of the day was awkward, as expected. Itachi attempted to make conversation, but resigned to what looked like a garage after about an hour. Sasuke stayed in his room blasting hard core metal music so loud the entire house _thumped _with it. Amaya, on the other hand, was so excited to have another girl to talk to that she immediately took me to her room and chattered on about anything and everything.

"Is he always like that?" I asked, running a brush through Amaya's thick mane. For being so young and obviously traumatized, she was surprisingly trusting. "Sasuke, I mean."

Amaya nodded. "Sasuke doesn't like anyone else coming into our house. He says that we can only trust each other, but Itachi says that's not true."

"Do you think it's true?"

"No," she said after a moment of thought. "Everyone Itachi brings home is usually nice."

"Does he bring home a lot of people?"

"Sometimes," she shrugged. "you're the first in a long time."

"Why's that?"

Another shrug. "Dunno. The last friend that stayed with us stole our food and found our secret money. Itachi promised to stop bringing people home, but I guess he really likes you." she turned to flash me a brilliant smile.

I giggled at her naiveté. "No, he doesn't. We don't even know each other. He just likes helping people and I needed help."

"Why?"

"My mommy and daddy aren't very nice," I sighed, shoving the fury I felt rise inside me back. "What about your mommy and daddy? Where are they?"

"In heaven," Amaya said softly. "Sasuke says they're always watching over us."

"Sasuke said that?" I raised a brow in surprise. I couldn't imagine someone like Sasuke ever saying something so sentimental and comforting, even to his little sister.

"Mhm," she hummed.

"I'm sorry," I put her brush down. I wanted to ask what happened to them, but I didn't want to upset her. Besides, I decided it'd be best to get to know Itachi, Sasuke, and Amaya better before inquiring about such personal subjects.

"It's okay," she smiled sweetly. She paused for a minute. "Do you want to hear me sing?"

"Sure," I smiled and scooted back on her bed as she took her place in the middle of the room.

She cleared her throat and began to sing. I couldn't quite make out the words, considering she was screeching out a melody that sounded like "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". I plastered the biggest smile on my face and closed my eyes as if I couldn't get enough of her voice even though I was pretty sure my ears were bleeding.

"What's wrong? Why are you screaming?" Sasuke burst through the door as if the house was on fire (no pun intended).

"_Sasuke!_" Amaya whined, whirling around to glare at him. "You ruined my song!"

"What are _you _doing in here?" he turned his attention to me, ignoring Amaya's complaints.

"What does it look like I'm doing, genius?" I narrowed my eyes at him. "Amaya wanted me to listen to her sing, so I was until you interrupted us."

"Pfft," Sasuke snorted. He took Amaya by the shoulders and pulled her to him protectively. "I don't need _you _corrupting her, got it?"

"Sasuke!" Amaya wriggled free from his grasp. "I like her! She's nice and she likes my singing, so stop being so mean to her!"

"We can't trust her, Amaya," he shot me a dirty look. "We don't even _know _her. She can do something bad to us like the last one did. You remember him, don't you?"

"I'm not going to steal from you or put rat poison in your water," I rolled my eyes. "And from over here, it looks like _you're _the only one corrupting Amaya. Telling her not to trust anyone isn't right and it'll only hurt her in the end."

"Excuse me?" he raised a brow at me. "Don't even _try _to tell me what right for _my_ sister. It's none of your concern, so stay out of it." he pulled Amaya close and whispered in her ear before leaving without sparing me a second glance.

"What's his problem?" I muttered in a huff, crossing my arms over my chest. I could understand why Sasuke didn't trust people, but his unrelenting hostility toward me made my blood boil. What was he so afraid of?

"I told you, he doesn't like new people," Amaya sighed, climbing back up on the bed with me. "He's usually so nice…"

"_Nice?_" I nearly laughed. "I can't imagine someone like _that _being nice to anyone."

"But he is!" she clasped her hands together and smiled brightly. "You just gotta get him to trust you is all."

"Yeah, that's not really high on my priority list right now," I fished around in my bag for some pajamas; it was nearly ten already.

"It should be," Amaya said ominously. "he can make things very bad for you if he doesn't like you. Just ask the last person who stayed with us."

I arched a brow in curiosity. "What do you mean?"

"Bed time!" Amaya replied quickly, glancing at the princess clock on her wall. "Can you stay here with me, Shi?"

I smiled down at her, her big, smoky gray eye begging me to stay. "Is Sasuke going to throw another tantrum if I do?"

"Nope," she shook her head. "I'll beat him up if he does."

"Okay," I laughed, quickly getting dressed and snuggling under the comforter with her. "Comfy?"

"Mhm," she hummed, lying her head on my shoulder. "Night, Shi."

"Night, Amaya." I murmured against her hair. I laid there, motionless, until her breathing evened out and I was sure she was asleep.

I leaned my cheek against the top of her head and held her close, the heat from the other flowing between us. It was strange; I actually felt _safe _here with these perfect strangers, something I haven't felt in nearly a year. The walls weren't closing in on me and no one was going to sneak into bed with me in the middle of the night. For the first time in what felt like forever, I could push back the urge to run to my steel lover that laid in my bag, waiting for me to cave in. I hugged Amaya's small body to me. _I won't give in, _I repeated to myself until I finally fell asleep. _I won't…_

It was too bad the security I felt here didn't stop the nightmares. My old life came roaring back to life, haunting me through my dreams. I was back on stage with everyone's eyes on me, but this time I was in a cage like a wild animal and _he _was in there with me. He smiled his malevolent smile as he grabbed me, ripping my gown off like it was made of paper. He forced me to the ground and held my wrists down like he had so many times before. I looked out to the crowd, screaming for someone to help me, but no one moved, they just watched. Even my mother looked on without the slightest hint of emotion.

I woke up screaming with Amaya, Itachi, and Sasuke staring at me - Amaya with horror, Itachi with concern, and Sasuke with indifference.

"Shi!" Itachi grabbed my shoulders and hauled me up into a sitting position. "What's wrong?"

"He's here," I whimpered. I gasped for air and blinked back the tears that were rapidly welling up in my eyes, blurring my vision. "He was here and they were all watching. Just watching…"

"Who was here?" Itachi asked gently, staring me dead in the eyes.

I looked back into his onyx irises, worry and confusion written all over his face as he struggled to understand. "It was horrible," I whispered almost inaudibly, burying my face in my hands so they wouldn't see me cry.

"It's okay," Itachi soothed, rubbing my arms comfortingly. "you're okay, now."

"Great, you brought home a crazy one," Sasuke muttered sourly from the doorway.

"She's not crazy!" Amaya nearly screamed.

"Yeah, because screaming in the middle of the night is what _normal _people do," he spat icily.

"Shut up!" I snapped, looking at him through a red haze. "You don't know _anything_, so just shut up!"

"Pfft," he rolled his eyes. "I couldn't care less. Make sure you put a muzzle on her before you leave so I can actually sleep." he waved dismissively as he exited the room.

"I'm so sorry," Itachi sighed regretfully. "he's just being a jerk because he can be. Are you okay?"

I sniffed and nodded. "I think so, thanks."

"No problem," he smiled and patted me on the shoulder before heading back to his room.

"Are you _sure _you're okay?" Amaya wondered as she crawled back into bed.

I nodded, getting out of bed and grabbing my bag. "Go back to sleep, I'll be right back." and with that, I was off to find a bathroom to add to my growing collection of slices that decorated my arms._ I can't escape them…_


	5. Chapter 5: Damaged

Caged, Chapter 5: Damaged

A week passed slowly, most of my time occupied by Amaya when she got home from school and the lone TV that sat in front of the sofa that I was sure was fusing to my butt. When I got bored of basic cable, I'd watch Billy crawl around in his tank, staring back at me through his beady eyes and occasionally flicking his tongue in my direction. Itachi was at work most of the day and went straight to the garage when he got home, sending me his signature smile before he disappeared beyond the threshold. Sasuke rolled his eyes whenever I was within eyeshot; it was the only way he actually acknowledged my existence when he wasn't talking about me like I wasn't even there.

"Why is _she _still here?" he'd ask Itachi, glaring at me over his shoulder.

"Because she needs a place to stay," Itachi replied every time Sasuke brought it up. "and because she's right over there and if you're expecting me to talk badly about her, you're mistaken."

Sasuke's tolerance of me was wearing dangerously thin and my relentless nightmares weren't making matters any better. I woke up screaming every night; it got so bad, I'd resigned myself to sleeping in the bathroom so I wouldn't disturb anyone. Amaya begged me to stay with her, swearing that it didn't bother her, but I couldn't bear the looks they gave me. Amaya looked at me like I was possessed by the devil, Itachi like I'd drop dead at any given moment, and Sasuke like he couldn't stand to be in the same room as me and would do _anything _to drive me away. One of Sasuke's little pleasures was waking me up with a cold shower when he figured out I'd been sleeping in the bathtub.

"What's wro-" Itachi would burst into the room to find me shivering in the tub and Sasuke rolling with laughter on the floor. "Really, Sasuke?"

"Oh my _God!_" Sasuke gasped between fits of uncontrollable laughter. "I've never seen anyone jump that high! Did you hear her scream? Priceless!"

Itachi would chew Sasuke out and haul me out of the tub and carry me to Amaya's room like I was a child who needed protection.

_That's _what I adore about Itachi. He's so caring and gentle with me and yet, I know there's something dark that he's hiding; I see it every time Sasuke pushes his buttons. I often find myself staring at him, dissecting the facets of his personality that he's exposed to me and trying to piece it together without avail. He's so kind and willing to help anyone in need and yet, there was something gnawing at him constantly, wearing away at his gentle soul. Then again, he could just be stressed from work and keeping Sasuke at bay.

Today was rainy as usual this time of year, the constant _pitter-patter _of the raindrops echoing throughout the house. I laid sprawled out on the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling as the sound of the rain began to lull me to sleep. I fought to keep my eyes open; sleep brought me nothing but unspeakable memories and awful new scenarios that felt all too real. I sighed and sat up, leaning my head back on the couch so I was still gazing upward, hoping for _something _to keep me awake.

"Hey," Itachi smiled, leaning over me.

I smiled up at him. "Hey, you're home early."

"Yeah, slow day," he hopped over the back of the couch and flopped down next to me. "This all you do all day?"

"Basically," I nodded. "at least until Amaya gets home. She keeps me pretty busy."

"She really took a liking to you,"

I shrugged. "She's a sweet girl. I think she just likes having another girl around."

Itachi nodded soberly, seemingly deep in thought about something. "Come with me. I want to show you something."

I silently complied and followed him to the door of the garage, hesitating when he opened it and beckoned me forward. "It's not a meth lab, I promise." he joked lightly.

I smiled and rolled my eyes as I stepped over the threshold and into the last thing I ever expected to be housed in the garage - it was a studio. Beautiful paintings decorated every inch of every wall, most of colorful landscapes while others were of amazing fantasy lands. A table rested against the far wall with a small stool, both of them covered in what looked like spray paint.

"My God," I gasped in sheer amazement. "did you paint all of these?"

"Spray painted, actually," Itachi corrected with a smirk, rattling a can of paint for emphasis.

"These are all _spray paint?_" I gaped at him. Every line was clean and precise and each painting looked like a photograph straight out of a magazine; there was _no way_ spray paint could've created them. "How?"

"Want to see?" his smile grew wider and a twinkle of excitement lit his eyes.

I nodded eagerly and slid a box over to the table and sat, impatiently waiting for him to join me. "C'mon!"

Itachi chuckled at my enthusiasm and took his place on the stool next to me, ripping a piece of what looked like cardstock out of a thick tablet. He pinned the corners to the center of the table and took a good look at me before he began. I watched in awe as he went into a completely different world, grabbing cans of paint and strange tools so fluidly, it was hard to keep up. He covered the top of the paper in gorgeous pastels that faded to dull grays and blacks from left to right, accompanied by trees that sprouted up from the bottom of the paper. The trees on the left were bright and colorful with lush, green leaves that gradually fluttered away as they traveled across the paper until they left the trees gray and barren on the right. The grass followed suit, becoming matted and ashy when it reached the right side of the painting; it was like the landscape was wilting before my eyes. Once it was finished, it formed a stunning forest wilting and dying over time, almost as if all the light was being drained as it moved across the paper.

"All done," Itachi sighed in satisfaction, taking the pins from the corners and holding it up to me.

"It's beautiful," I smiled in admiration. It was near impossible to tear my eyes from it. "How do you come up with things like this?"

"Nature," he shrugged, looking down at the painting before glancing at me from behind his lashes. "but this one reminds me of you."

My brows knitted together and a scarlet flush spread across my cheeks like wild fire. "Why does it remind you of me?"

"Well, you started out vibrant and alive," he motioned to the left side of the painting. "but something happened that slowly drained the light away until there was nothing left. Now, you're barren and scarred, struggling to flourish under the weight of whatever is smothering you. That's what I gather, anyway."

I stared at him with my jaw on the floor and my eyes wide; he had me _pegged. _Itachi just narrated my whole life after knowing me for a week while I knew virtually nothing about him or his family. "H-how do you-"

"Just a guess," he shrugged. "Screaming in your sleep was a clue and that giant knife that's peeking out of your bag isn't for nothing and don't think I don't notice how you're always in long sleeves. You don't have to explain anything to me, I get it. I know what it's like to be damaged."

I chewed on my bottom lip and turned my gaze to the floor. I wanted desperately to pour my heart out to him, to break down the wall I've built around myself, but I couldn't bring myself to do it for fear it'd only hurt me. So, I sat silently, staring at the concrete floor beneath us. "How?" I finally choked out. "How do you know?"

I could see the speculation written plainly on his face as he wrestled with himself; to tell or not to tell. "I think we're all damaged, one way or another, some are just more damaged than others."

"More like destroyed," I murmured under my breath.

"Never destroyed," he corrected softly, holding the painting out to me. "Keep it."

And with that, the conversation was dead.


	6. Chapter 6: Closer

A/N: Sorry For The Wait, I Know This Chapter Took Me Longer Than Usual But I Just Got A Waitressing Job And I've Been Pretty Busy. From Now On, Chapters Will Probably Be More Spaced Out, But I'll Be Sure To Post As Often As I Can. I Hope You're All Enjoying The Story so Far And Plz R&R!

Caged, Chapter 6: Closer

"What are you two up to?" Sasuke raised his brow as Itachi and I exited the garage. His eyes shifted to the paper in my hands. "And what do we have here?" he moved to snatch it from me.

I quickly blocked the attempt. "None of your business," I headed toward Amaya's room, throwing Itachi a smile over my shoulder. "Thanks, Itachi."

I wasn't half way down the hall when Sasuke came completely undone.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing?" Sasuke roared in sheer rage. I could almost imagine fire spewing from his mouth as he spoke.

"What are you-"

"You know _exactly _what I'm talking about!" Sasuke intercepted. "She has no right to be here and you're treating her like-"

"Like _what?_" Itachi challenged. "Like a human being? Like she _should _be treated? She's been through more than you know and you've been treating her like shit for no reason!"

"Oh, and like we haven't been through enough?" Sasuke countered. "You've completely forgotten about mine and Amaya's feelings about bringing strangers into our lives!"

"Amaya loves Shi!"

"She's gaining your trust so she can manipulate you!"

"To do what?" I could picture Itachi's eyes rolling. "What could she possibly want from us?"

"I don't know, but _I'm _not going to sit and wait to find out!" Sasuke growled, his heavy footsteps rapidly coming closer.

I slipped into Amaya's room just before Sasuke tore down the hall, slamming the door to his room in his wake. I leaned against the door and stared down at Itachi's painting. _How could he know everything about me?_

I spent the rest of the day being entertained by Amaya. We played house for what seemed like forever, had a tea party, and played an endless game of Monopoly.

"You _can't _go to sleep yet!" Amaya whined when I headed for the door, tugging on my hand so I couldn't leave.

"Amaya, it's eleven o'clock," I sighed. "I'm tired and I'm sure it's past your bedtime. We can play more tomorrow, okay?"

"Fine," she said in a huff, finally letting me go and flopping back onto her bed.

"Good night," I laid a sift kiss on her forehead and made my way to the bathroom.

I changed into my pajamas and pulled my knife out of my bag, turning it over in my hands. I wanted so badly to give in to its siren song and allow it to bite into my skin, but a small part of me fought back for the first time. I took a breath and ran my fingertips over the serrated edge, each sharp point calling out to me. _Do it, _the weaker half of my will whispered enticingly. _You know you want to. _I chewed on my bottom lip and put the blade to my arm.

_Don't, _a quiet, weak voice squeaked in the back of my mind. _This isn't the way to deal with it. _

I narrowed my eyes as I waged a war against myself for a few very long minutes. I finally found the strength to uncurl my fingers and drop the knife back into my bag. "Damn it," I sighed airily. I leaned back against the tub and tilted my head back; everything felt like it was spinning.

"You okay?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin. "Holy shit, Itachi. Did you _want _to give me a heart attack?"

He chuckled and leaned against the door frame. "Sorry, just thought I'd make sure you're okay."

"You mean make sure I didn't slice my arm open and bleed out of your floor?" I laughed dryly. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

"I didn't mean it like that," Itachi sighed. He gazed thoughtfully at me for a moment before taking a seat on the floor next to me.

We were silent for a while. "You don't have to sleep in here, you know," he said, looking up at the ceiling.

"I scream whenever I close my eyes," I said as if he didn't already know. "I don't want to be more of a burden than I already am."

"You're not a burden,"

"Sasuke would disagree,"

"Sasuke's a selfish bastard," he ground his teeth together at the mere mention of his brother. "You're not anywhere near a burden for Amaya - or me."

I smiled. "You don't have to lie to me. I know I've made things more than tense around here, especially between you and Sasuke."

"Sasuke and I never really got along to begin with," Itachi sighed heavily. For a second, I could've sworn I saw a flicker of what looked like regret flash across his face. "At least not after…"

"After what?" I wondered when he didn't continue. The air between us suddenly felt unbearably heavy, almost as if the molecules had filled up with lead; I was treading on unstable ground.

Itachi swallowed hard and turned his gaze downward. "Our parents died last year," he began slowly. It was obvious the wounds were still very fresh. "in a fire that took our whole house and leveled it. Sasuke and I were at a friend's and Amaya was caught inside with our parents. They got to her, but she was badly burned. They couldn't reach our parents."

"Oh my God," I choked out, unable to think of what else to say.

"So, for the past year I've been doing my best for them," he paused for a second. "I didn't want us to get split up in foster care, so I got this shit hole and made it our home. Ever since then, Sasuke's been moody and out of control. He thinks no one understands and that he's alone, but he's not. He forgets that Amaya and I went through the same thing and that there are other people who have gone through terrible things like we have. All of us damaged kids, we have to stick together." a smile broke across his stoic expression then, making my heart flutter a little.

"I'm so sorry," I squeaked, still in shock. "I had no idea."

Itachi chuckled humorlessly and waved. "How could you have known? Sasuke never gives anyone a chance and it's not like we go around telling people we're orphans. He just doesn't want anyone to pity us, so he pushes everyone away. It's sort of tragic, really."

I nodded in understanding. "You didn't have to tell me if you didn't want to,"

"I wanted to," he smiled warmly. "and maybe one day, you'll want to, too."

I bit my lip as the urge to tell him everything washed over me again. _Not yet. _We sat on the bathroom floor for an immeasurable amount of time, the pale glow of the fluorescent lights making my eyes ache.

"You don't have to sleep in here," Itachi repeated. A soft blush painted his cheeks. "You can sleep in my room, if you want."

I nodded a little too eagerly, not entirely comprehending what he was proposing. "Sure, it's better than the tub."

Itachi laughed and helped me to my feet. "If you're not comfortable-"

"I am," I cut him off - and I was. A lot could happen in Itachi's room, but I knew that whatever happened or didn't happen would be entirely different from any of my past sexual experiences.

Itachi nodded and led me down the hall to his room. It was average sized with the same nondescript gray carpet as in the living room. A full sized bed sat against the far wall on a broken bed frame and the walls were the same plaster white as the rest of the house. I flopped down on his bed and snuggled under the blankets while he grabbed a pillow and blanket and placed them on the floor.

"Wait," I whispered, sounding like a scared child. "Come up here with me. Please?"

Itachi flushed crimson in the most endearing way as he complied, wrapping me up in his arms and holding me close. "Better?"

"Mhm," I hummed, almost instantly falling asleep. For the first time since I left home, I didn't dream a thing.


	7. Chapter 7: Retaliation

A/N: Hi Everyone! I Have Chapter 7 For You And In This Chapter, It Switches From Shi's POV To Sasuke's POV. Before Now, His POV Wasn't Important, But I've Had A New Development In The Story And Now, It's Very Important. So, I Hope You All Enjoy This Chapter And Don't Forget To Review!

Caged, Chapter 7: Retaliation

I woke up to a sunny April morning, crisp sheets, and Itachi's arms still securing my body to his. I smiled and looked up at him; he seemed so relaxed, so peaceful, that I was afraid I'd wake him just by breathing.

"Morning," Itachi mumbled groggily, a sleepy smile sweeping over his face. "You didn't scream."

I giggled and nodded. "I didn't scream,"

"That's great," he stretched and sat up. "Now, you can't leave."

"Shut up," I laughed, playfully swatting his arm.

He took a hold of my wrist and pulled it toward him until my arm was fully extended. He tentatively wiggled his index finger underneath my sleeve and looked at me from under his lashes. "May I?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded hesitantly. Itachi carefully rolled my sleeve up and gazed down at my forearm in pure shock. I guessed he didn't expect it to be anywhere near this bad.

"Shi…" he breathed, running his fingertips over the jagged slashes. I winced when he touched a fresher one, making him flinch back. "Sorry, I didn't-"

"It's fine," I smiled fleetingly. "I'm fine."

Before he could reply, the door crashed open and Sasuke was looking at us with fire in his eyes. "You _slept_ with her?" he snarled, baring his teeth like a wild animal.

"Sasuke, calm down-"

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Sasuke interrupted. His hands balled into fists and his whole frame began to shake; he was having a total melt down. "You fucking _slept _with her!"

"Nothing happened," Itachi insisted. "I didn't want to leave her in the bathroom by herself."

"So you invite her into your _bed?"_ Sasuke cackled humorlessly. He locked his gazed on me and stalked over, grabbing my exposed arm. "You sure know how to pick them, Itachi. The more fucked up they are, the better, right?"

"Leave her alone!" Itachi growled, ripping Sasuke's hand from my arm.

Another devilish laugh bubbled out of Sasuke, sending chills down my spine. "What's wrong, little girl? Can't even stand up for yourself?" he raised a brow at me. "Pathetic. If you won't get rid of her, Itachi, then I will." he sent me one last poisonous glare before turning and storming out.

I spent the rest of the day wondering what Sasuke was planning. He was unseen the whole day and wouldn't answer his door for anything.

"What's wrong with him?" Amaya asked, nearly in tears from her brother's absence.

"He's mad at Itachi and I,"

"Why?"

"He doesn't want us to be friends,"

"But you and I are friends and he doesn't care," she tilted her head in confusion. "Why does he care about you and Itachi?"

"Oh, he cares," I sighed heavily. "He thinks I'm going to do something bad."

"Like what?"

"Ask him," I nodded toward Sasuke's room. "he seems to know _everything."_

Amaya steeled herself and marched up to Sasuke's door. "Sasuke!" she hammered her fists on the slab of wood. "Come _out_ right now!"

She continued to pound on the door relentlessly, only to be met by silence. "C'mon, Amaya," I slung my arm around her shoulders. "Let's go play with Billy, he's lonely. Sasuke'll come out when he's ready."

"Okay," Amaya sighed sadly, allowing me to lead her into the living room.

I glanced nervously over my shoulder at Sasuke's room. _What could he be doing in there?_

…Sasuke…

I walked up and down our street all damn day and I _still _didn't know how to get Shi out of our house. "Damn it!" I grunted in frustration, launching my fist into the nearest tree. The rough bark cut into the thin skin on my knuckles, but I paid it no attention. _There has to be a way. _

I wandered all the way to the park in the center of town, absorbed in my thoughts, only to be smacked in the back of the head with a soccer ball.

"Sorry, Mister," a young boy apologized shyly, his big brown eyes staring back up at me.

My anger subsided slightly as I handed him his ball. "No problem, kid."

He thanked me and I watched him run back to his mother who sent me an apologetic glance. I smiled at her and turned on my heel to head home when a brightly colored paper caught my attention. I tore it off the bench it was taped to and read it over.

_Meadow Brook Correctional Institution: 675-3010_

My lips curled up into a malevolent smirk; _this _was the perfect solution.

…

"Where the _hell _have you been?" Itachi demanded when I emerged from my room.

I rolled my eyes at his pathetic attempt at being an authority figure. Who was he trying to kid? "Out."

"Doing what?"

"What do you care?" I scoffed, noticing the absence of his shadow. "Where's your little pet?"

"Playing with Amaya," Itachi motioned to the living room. "What do you care?"

"I don't," I smiled at the black-haired girl Itachi was so fond of. Just the _thought _of tonight made me giddy with delight. "but I hope you're not too attached."

"What're you going to do to Shi?" Itachi narrowed his eyes at me.

"Nothing," I shrugged, feigning innocence. "but the dog catcher might."

I sat up late that night, watching and waiting. The minutes ticked by painfully slow, each one feeling like an eternity. Finally, the sound of a door being kicked in split through the stillness of the night. I launched myself out of bed and into the hallway to direct the storm troopers.

"Last door on the right," I pointed down the hall to Itachi's room.

The troop leader nodded and bustled down the hall, kicking Itachi's door in, and swarming the bed.

"What the hell are you doing?" Itachi shouted as they grabbed Shi and hauled her to her feet.

"Let me go!" Shi screamed, kicking and trying to free her arms. "What do you want?"

"We're here to help you," the troop leader soothed, taking her arm and rolling the sleeve up. He nodded to his partner. "The boy was right. She needs to be treated right away."

"What are you talking about?" Itachi asked, oblivious to me as I observed with a proud grin.

"She's coming with us," the leader replied as they maneuvered Shi out of the room. "Ask your boy, he's the one who called us."

Itachi finally turned his attention to me, his eyes blazing with fury. He stormed over to me, grabbed me by the shirt, and shoved me back into the wall. "What the _hell _did you do?"

I smiled at him and choked back a chuckle. "Told you not to get too attached."

"You're a selfish bastard, Sasuke," he said between clenched teeth. "and whether you like it or not, you _will _help me get her back."

"Over my dead body," I spat venomously.

His grip on my shirt tightened as he lifted me off the ground. "That can be arranged."

And with that, he let me drop to the ground with a _thud. _For the first time, I saw sheer rage in Itachi's eyes; he wasn't threatening me, he was promising me.


	8. Chapter 8: Threats

Caged, Chapter 8: Threats

-Shi-

"So, how are you feeling today, Shi?" an overly polite woman asked. The pink of her two-piece suit reminded me of Pepto Bismal and the way-too-cheerful smile she wore nearly drove me insane; it was no wonder the people in here were crazy. Her name tag read: Mrs. Penelope.

I turned my eyes downward and toyed with a loose thread on the hem of my snow white Meadow Brook blouse. "I'm not crazy,"

"I never said you were," Mrs. Penelope replied calmly, her deep blue eyes searching my face. In order to maintain my sanity - or what was left of it - I trained myself to remain stoic and as emotionless as I possibly could, which was surprisingly easy. I took a breath and remained impassive. "but, you wouldn't be here if there wasn't something wrong."

"Actually, I would," I corrected her. I locked my jaw as Sasuke crept into my mind for the millionth time in the past forty-eight hours. He went so far as to arrange this whole thing just to get me out of his family's lives. _Bastard. _"I'm only here because my friend's brother hates me."

Mrs. Penelope's thin lips curled up into a fraction of a smirk and I knew I'd given her just what she'd been waiting for; I let my composure slip for half a second and she was latching on. "Or maybe he's worried about you,"

"Are you _kidding?"_ I howled with laughter. "He wanted me out so badly, he called you guys and told them I wanted to kill myself. Does that sound like worry to you?"

"_Do _you want to kill yourself?"

"No!" I nearly screamed in her face. I'd already let my emotions slip through, so why not cut loose? "If I wanted to, I'd be dead already!"

"Then why do you cut yourself?"

I paused for a second, taken aback by her directness. "Because I get sad a lot," I sighed finally, shoving my emotions back and allowing myself to fall back into my impassive façade. "I can stop any time I want," I added impulsively, the words leaving my mouth before I could process them.

Mrs. Penelope raised a bleached brow at me and reached into the top drawer of her desk, placing a pair of scissors in front of me. She was silent for a minute before she spoke. "Tell me that you don't want to cut right now, then."

"What?"

"_Look _at those nice, sharp blades and tell me that you don't want to dig them into your arms. Only then will I believe that you can stop." she challenged, leaning back in her chair as if she knew I couldn't.

I narrowed my eyes at her and reluctantly turned my gaze to the scissors. My eyes traveled along the sleek handles and lingered on the bolt that held the blades together, hesitant to move to the blades themselves. I swallowed around the lump in my throat and forced myself to look at the sharp twin blades. An overwhelming sense of longing washed over me like a tidal wave, tempting me to snatch the scissors up and allow them to tear into my skin. I swallowed hard again and tore my eyes from the blades and focused on the ugly carpeting. "This is stupid,"

Mrs. Penelope sighed and replaced the scissors in her desk. "You may go."

After my less-than productive counseling session, I wandered aimlessly down the pure white halls of Meadow Brook despite the strict house rule of having an escort with you at all times. I passed the 'solitary enjoyment' rooms, which were essentially small cells with a Plexiglas front wall so the occupants could be monitored easily. A girl about my age occupied one of them and had her back to me while she concentrated on the canvas she was painting. Blues, violets, reds, oranges, and whites swirled together to form a vivid image of Meadow Brook burning to the ground with a starry night as the backdrop. I immediately stopped in my tracks and was drawn in by the morbid painting.

I walked up to the glass and watched as her brush moved gracefully across the canvas, marrying the colors in the most beautiful way. Itachi automatically came to mind accompanied by the memory of him painting for me, the amazing way he manipulates the paint to create something beautiful was being mimicked by this girl. My trance was broken suddenly when the girl's hand froze and she was staring at me over her shoulder. Her vivid, emerald irises pierced me like knives; she did _not _appreciate my company. I smiled sheepishly and hurried down the hall until the Plexiglas rooms were out of sight. Even though I was a good distance away from her, I couldn't shake the feeling that that girl was somehow watching me.

…

-Sasuke-

"No way in _hell,"_ I protested firmly. "There's no way I'm going there."

"Yes, you are," Itachi insisted, his tone deathly serious. The look in his eyes was chilling and almost scared me - almost. "You got her into this mess and now, you're getting her out."

"And what are _you _going to do?" I spat hotly. "You can't expect me to do _everything."_

"I'll be organizing the get away once you two are out," he said as if to prove to me that he'd be doing something productive.

"And how am I supposed to tell you that we got out?"

"You'll figure something out," was all he said before he turned to retreat to his room. "And Sasuke," he cast me a dark glare. "if anything happens to her, I _will _kill you."

"I'm sure you will," I rolled my eyes despite the chill that danced up my spine.

"So am I,"

…

"Ma'am! Ma'am!" Itachi yelled frantically to the woman at the front desk of Meadow Brook. His clothes were ripped and smeared with what looked like blood. "Ma'am, please help me!"

I stood outside of the building and peered in through the small windows in the front doors, waiting for Itachi to give me my cue to burst in and try to kill him. As I watched his surprisingly convincing performance, I seriously debated bailing out on our plan. This stupid girl meant virtually _nothing _to me, and here I am trying to break her out of an insane asylum that _I _put her in; what am I _doing _here? Just as I decided to make a run for it, Itachi pointed at the doors, giving me my cue. I sighed and mustered up all the fury and hate I could manage before I tore the doors open and plunged inside. There was no turning back now.

The inside of Meadow Brook was so bright and cheery, I honestly felt like vomiting. The counselors and staff were even worse with their fake smiles and cheesy quotes that were supposed to be uplifting, but really made you want to make a noose out of your bed sheets. The boys and girls had no contact at all, so I had to wait until recreation hour after lunch, which was the only time boys and girls could associate with each other. It was harder than I thought it'd be to find Shi considering nearly _every _girl here had black hair and was sickly pale, but she didn't waste any time finding me.

"What the _hell _are you doing here?" she hissed, glancing around so no one could hear us. The expression she wore was divided between shock, confusion, and anger. Right now, she focused on anger. "Haven't you done enough?"

"Apparently not since Itachi wants me to do even more," I retorted sourly.

She shifted to confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Itachi wants me to pretend to be crazy so I can help you break out," I explained as quietly as I could; curious eyes were already turning our way.

Then came the shock. "_You're _here to break me out?"

I sighed and nodded. "Now that we've established the obvious, can we move on?"

"To what?"

"Planning our escape."


	9. Chapter 9: Recruiting

Caged, Chapter 9: Recruiting

-Shi-

"And how do you propose we do that?" I arched a skeptical brow. Even though this place looks ill prepared to deal with hundreds of psychotic teens, it was airtight. There was no way we were getting out.

"I don't know," Sasuke admitted. "but we're going to have to recruit some people to help us if we have any shot in hell of making it out."

"But then they'll want us to break them out, too," I countered. "How are we supposed to get them to help us without getting something in return?"

He pursed his lips for a fragment of a second as if there was only one answer. "Then it looks like we'll be leading a revolt," he sighed. For a second, I could've sworn I saw a twinkle of excitement in his eyes. "You recruit girls whenever you can. I'll get the man power."

"But Sasuke-" I protested, but he was already out the door. I sighed despondently, a sense of hopelessness filling the pit of my stomach. Our plan would never work; we were only sixteen and had absolutely no idea how to lead any kind of revolt, especially one on this scale. How could we even _think _this could work?

"Alright, recreation hour is over!" a counselor announced. We all separated and gathered into two groups on opposite sides of the room. "Girls, come with me."

We followed our counselor down the corridor like a flock of sheep, silent and confused and willing to follow anyone who took charge. _Then, _it hit me. I could manipulate these girls to help Sasuke and I fairly easily, I just had to take charge and demand their attention and loyalty. I glanced at the girl next to me and edged closer.

"Hey," I whispered under my breath. "What would you give to get out of this hell hole?"

She looked at me with her cold, gray eyes, seemingly searching for any hint of dishonesty. After a minute or two, her face softened and an unidentifiable emotion that looked like a cross between sadness and regret seeped into her irises. "Anything," she murmured so quietly, I had to strain to hear.

"Well, I need your help," I leaned in closer so only she could hear. "because I'm breaking out of here."

Her head snapped up instantly and her gray eyes ignited into a blaze of determination. "I'm listening."

…

"Lights out!" the hall monitor called, his voice echoing down the already empty hall.

I flicked my light off and crawled into bed, the surprisingly lush comforter making the sharp mattress springs less noticeable as they stabbed into my back. I smiled up into the darkness, satisfied with my day's recruiting effort. Sasuke never said how many people we'd need, so I stuck to three in hopes that that'd be enough. Just as I was ready to attempt sleep, the crinkling of paper caught my attention. I turned to face the door and immediately spotted a slip of paper on the floor a few inches from the small crack between the bottom of the door and the linoleum. I padded silently across the room and unfolded the note.

_Got a couple guys to help us. Meet me by the solitary confinement rooms in ten. Come alone._

_-S_

-Sasuke-

I pressed my back as flat as I could against the wall. The heavy footsteps of the night guard thundered down the hallway, echoing in my skull like a bullhorn. I held my breath and shrunk back into the shadows as he rounded the corner. The dim glow of his flashlight panned the corridor and barely missed my paralyzed figure. He paused for a moment and continued on his rounds. I slipped around the corner and made it down the hall as fast as my legs could carry me until I reached the door to the emergency stairwell. Once safely behind the thick door, I finally allowed myself to take a fresh breath, my lungs burning from lack of oxygen and my throat dry and raw.

"What am I _doing _here?" I asked myself, leaning back against the wall. I took a few soothing breaths and attempted to sort through my thought process. I had absolutely no desire to help Shi, but I had to if I ever wanted to get out of here. I often find myself wondering if all of this is worth it; this place isn't _so _horrible. Then, I think of the infuriatingly happy staff and my mind is instantly made up.

I kicked off the wall and took the stairs two at a time toward the basement where they kept the solitary confinement rooms. I snuck out into the dark hall, the only light coming from a couple of very dim fluorescent lights overhead. The tall compartments were constructed entirely of metal with a small window in the door to let in a square of light and a thin opening near the bottom of the door for meals to be slid through. Pained groans emitted from the rooms and traveled down the narrow hall; it seemed as though people were being tortured down here. I headed to the end of the hall and stood just under the last fluorescent light, waiting for my accomplice. Exactly ten minutes after I dropped the note off, Shi ambled down the hall, apprehensively glancing up at the metal enclosures that surrounded us.

"Alright, how many people did you get?" I asked once she reached the end of the corridor.

"Three," she replied, counting them off on her fingers. "Lucy, Reina, and Gwen. Who did you get?"

"Zack, Shawn, and Jesse," I mimicked her, coaxing out an eye roll and a small smirk. I couldn't help but return it. "So, eight of us should be enough. We can each break into groups of four and into teams of two if we have to. Now, it's time to set our plan into motion."

"What plan?" Shi laughed dryly. "When did we formulate a plan?"

"_We _didn't," I corrected her. "_I _did, now are you going to listen or not?"

She rolled her eyes again and pursed her lips. I never realized how blue her eyes were until that moment or how she chewed on her bottom lip when she was thinking. It was somehow endearing. "Fine. What's first?"

"We need to find out where they keep the sedatives," I explained, peeling my eyes away from hers.

"What do we need sedatives for?"

"So we'll be somewhat armed," I clarified. "These guys won't know what hit them."


	10. Chapter 10: Preparation

A/N: Hello Everyone! Long Time, No Chapters! Well, I Know I've Been On Hiatus For A Few Months, But I Went On FanFiction On A Whim Last Night And Realized How Much I've Been Missing Writing For You Guys. So, Here I Am Again With A Brand New Chapter. Hopefully This Time, I'll Finally Finish This Story. Enjoy And Please Review!

Caged, Chapter 10: Preparation

...Shi...

I eyed the counselor incredulously from across the recreation room. She scanned the space periodically, making sure we all played nice. Her sunshine yellow uniform made it difficult to look at her for more than a minute, but I forced my eyes to stay glued to her. I glanced at Sasuke from the corner of my eye. He sat at the opposite end of the room with three other boys that I suspected were his recruits, eyeing the clock just as intently as I was eyeing Ms. Sunshine. It was almost time. Just as Sasuke stood from his seat, a violent shriek ripped through the room.

"I can't take it anymore!" a boy screamed in sheer terror, knotting his hands in his white-blonde hair. "They won't stop! Just make the voices stop!"

For a moment, I was paralyzed in shock. I glanced over at Sasuke, his face twisted up in a confused grimace that I was sure mirrored mine. We agreed that Sasuke would throw a fit to distract the counselors so Lucy and I could sneak out and find a way into the medication closet. But, this kid bit the bullet instead and served as an even better distraction since it took nearly every counselor within a hundred foot radius and three shots of sedatives to calm him down. Lucy and I slipped out of the recreation room and down the hall, flattening our bodies against the wall to avoid being seen by the cameras.

"Be my look-out," Lucy mouthed, her stormy irises darting around suspiciously.

I nodded and slithered back toward the recreation room so I had a perfect view through the long windows in the doors. If anyone was coming, I'd be the first to know. My heart hammered wildly against my ribcage and blood pounded behind my eardrums. I could've sworn my heart was going to explode if she took any longer. The excitement in the recreation room was beginning to die down; they had the boy completely doped up on sedatives and were lifting him onto a stretcher. Suddenly, something nudged my arm. I whirled around to be met with a grinning Lucy.

"Did you get it?"

She nodded and proudly patted the stuffed bear she never went aywhere without. "They never suspect the bear."

...

"Good work," Sasuke nodded in approval, smiling down at Lucy's bear. "Very clever. They'll never look at the bear."

Lucy grinned proudly and scratched behind the bear's ears. The eight of us sat at our own little table in the middle of the cafeteria; sitting away from everyone else would look too suspicious. We all picked at our less-than-desirable lunches as we discussed the next phase of our plan.

"Now, we need weapons," Jesse suggested, excitement twinkling in his eyes.

"Weapons?" I looked nervously at Sasuke. "Weapons for what?"

"In case of emergency," Sasuke reassured, noticing the panic on my face. He seemed surprisingly calm considering we were now talking about possibly murdering our counselors. A shiver rippled through my body. "This isn't just a rebellion, Shi. This is going to turn into an all-out war and we need to be prepared."

"To fight, not to _kill_," I could feel the panic rising up in my throat like bile. I swallowed hard and attempted to compose myself. "I just don't think we should go that far."

"_C'mon, _Shi," Gwen sighed. I could almost hear her eyes roll in her head. "Are you a kitten or a tiger?"

"_Meeeeow!_" Zack added with a chuckle.

"I'm not a kitten!" I huffed, shoving a forkfull of unidentifiable meat in my mouth. I guessed it was some kind of pork from the fatty texture.

"Then prove that you're a tiger," she challenged malevolently.

"How?" I wondered. Nervousness bubbled in the pit of my stomach. Gwen's an arsonist who locked her family in their rooms and set the house on fire; _her _idea of proving myself and _my _idea of proving myself were very different.

Gwen pursed her lips for a minute in thought. "Go on the weapons mission with the boys,"

"I can do that," I smiled, breathing a sigh of relief.

"But," she continued. An ominous smirk danced across her lips as she spoke. "you're going to be the one to go in and get them. Alone."

A hush instantly fell over the table; I knew this wouldn't be good.

"Gwen," Lucy gasped. "going there alone is suicide."

"She won't be alone," Gwen corrected her. "The boys will stand guard while she gets them."

"But you know who she's dealing with-"

"Shut up, Lucy," Gwen snapped, her fiery curls boucing wildly around her shoulders. "She's doing it. Right, Shi?"

I gulped and scanned the table. Everyone's faces were frozen in a mask of concern - even Sasuke's facade faltered. I sucked in a shallow breath and slapped on a confident smirk that matched Gwen's. "Of course."

...

We all decided to wait a few days before attempting the weapons mission; the counselors were on high alert after the latest episode. Rumor had it that a kid by the name Roman was a master of weaponry. It was said that he could make a weapon out of anything, thus the reason he's been locked away in solitary confinement for as long as anyone can remember. This kid was a legend and no one seemed to know if he actually existed or not, but he was our best shot. Sasuke, Jesse, Shawn and I were chasing a ghost for the slightest chance in hell of getting out of this place; we really _must _be crazy.

We all met in the emergency stairwell under the cover of nightfall to execute our plan. We were told to bring any sharp objects we could get our hands on if we wanted any sort of help from Roman, so the four of us descended into the basement with our pockets filled with stolen goods. My heart thumped louder with every step I took down the dark corridor, thoughts of what could go wrong plaguing my already distraught mind. No one knew _anything_ about this kid and I was about to go into a dark room with him alone. He could have his own weapons in there with him and be preparing to kill me at this very second. I swallowed hard and tried to focus on something, anything else.

"You know you don't have to do this," Sasuke whispered, shoving his hands through this hair. "_You're _the alpha female. If anything, Gwen should be proving herself, not you."

"You sound worried," I raised a brow at him. He instantly flushed scarlet and put on his usual cocky mask, but said nothing more. "I'll be fine. Let's hope this Roman guy as a thing for brunettes."

"Just don't get yourself killed," Shawn chimed in. "I hear he's got a short fuse."

"Thanks," I threw him a poisonous glare. "That helps a ton."

"No problem," he chuckled with a strangely sexy wink.

The rest of the descent was quiet, the only sound being the erratic beating of my heart. My stomach overflowed with anxiety; it took everything in me to hold down my dinner.

"Looks like this is your stop," Jesse nodded toward the door to the basement. "Empty your pockets."

The others complied and shoved every last fork, pen and pair of scissors into my pockets until my jeans were nearly falling off. I swallowed around the nervous lump in my throat and took a step toward the door, my pulse pounding in my ears.

"Wait," Sasuke put a hand on my shoulder. "Do you remember the saying?"

I nodded and forced the corners of my mouth to turn upward into an uneasy smirk. "Yeah, try not to look so worried."

And with that, I plunged into the dim hall.

...

I rattled with every step I took, every piece of metal in my pockets _clicking _and _clacking_ against each other; it was impossible not to hear me coming. I held my breath as whispers rose out of the solitary confinement cells, filling the hall with ghostly voices.

"She's here,"

"She actually made it?"

"We've been waiting for you..."

I stopped in what seemed like the middle of the hallway and steeled myself. "A war is upon us and I'm looking for a warrior named Roman. We need thy help." I recited, hoping I'd said it right. It was also rumored that Roman would only see someone who said the saying correctly and although it wasn't a difficult saying to remember, you'd be surprised how easy it is to forget something when you're scared for your life. It was defaningly silent for a moment, the atmosphere getting noticably heavier with each passing second.

"I've been expecting you," a phantom voice floated out of a cell all the way at the end of the hall. "Come, my dear, speak to me."

"Are you Roman?" I asked tentatively as I made my way to the very last cell.

"Sometimes," he replied thoughtfully. "For tonight, I am he. How may I be of assistance, Shi?"

My blood instantly ran ice cold in my veins. "How do you know my name?"

Roman laughed lightly. "My dear, Shi. The walls can hear everything you and I say, it's just a matter of knowing how to listen to them. Now, what do you require of me on this fine evening?"

"I need weapons," I answered, attempting to camoflauge the fear in my voice. I wiped my palms on my jeans. "There are eight of us who are leading a revolt. I brought these for you," I pulled out a handful of forks.

"I see," Roman said carefully. "Send them through."

I complied and slid everything I had through the slit used for meals.

"Very good," he hummed in approval. The soft _clinking_ of metal could be heard beyond the thick door. I guessed he was inspecting the loot. "You have done well, Shi."

"So, can you make them?"

He laughed again. "Of course I can, silly child. I will send you a message when they are done."

"How will I recieve this message?" I wondered confusedly. He was locked in a metal box; how could he get anything anywhere?

"Listen to the walls," he whispered almost inaudibly. "They will tell you all you need to know. Goodbye, Shi."

Then, it was silent.


	11. Chapter 11: Alpha and Omega

Caged, Chapter 11: Alpha and Omega

"_Well?_" Jesse pressed impatiently, barely waiting for the door to close behind me. "What happened?"

I pursed my lips and shrugged indifferently. "He'll send a message when they're ready,"

"A message?" Sasuke arched a brow. "How the hell is he supposed-"

"I don't know the details, okay?" I cut him off, my voice sharper than I anticipated; something about this place was making me uneasy. I took a breath to even it back out. "All I know is that he'll send a message when they're ready. Can we please leave now?"

"Yeah, we'd better go before the night guards come back around," Shawn agreed.

As we headed back toward the stairwell, I couldn't stop myself from glancing back over my shoulder. Even though I knew it was impossible, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were somehow being watched. It was almost like the building itself was monitoring our every move, sensing our every step, hearing our every breath; I suddenly felt like a lead weight was placed on my chest, cracking each individual rib like a twig and deflating my lungs like balloons. I collapsed to my knees and clutched my chest; it was nearly impossible to catch my breath.

"Guys, stop!" Sasuke called out ahead of us. He dropped to his knees beside me. "Shi, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

I tried desperately to speak, but nothing would come out. All that escaped my lips was a horendous gasp that sounded like I was choking on sand. "S-Sas-"

"Oh, _shit,_" Jesse gasped. He was suddenly beside me as well, hauling me back to my feet. "We need to get her out of here - _now._"

"Wait, what's going on? What's wrong with her?" Sasuke asked, panic beginning to seep into his voice.

"I'll explain later," Jesse replied quickly. "Take her other side, we gotta move. Shawn, go ahead and make sure we're clear."

"Got it!" Shawn immediately complied, disappearing into the darkness.

Sasuke slung my right arm over his shoulder and helped Jesse drag me into the emergency stairwell. I attempted to get my body to move, to do _something, _but it wouldn't budge. I'd lost total control of myself, I couldn't even _breathe_ on my own anymore; something was _very _wrong with this place and if I didn't know that before, I definitely knew now.

"Shawn, how's it look out there?" Jesse called up the staircase, his voice bouncing off the walls and making my ears ring.

"All good,"

"Alright, let's go."

My vision quickly began to blur and the ringing in my ears was growing unbearably loud. I remembered my ninth grade science teacher telling us that the human body could go two minutes without air, five days without water, and four weeks without food. _They carried me this far in less than two minutes?_

"Shi, are you still with us?"

The only reply my body would allow was an extremely dry cough and a weak nod.

"Good. We're almost there, just hang on a bit longer."

I nodded again. "S-Sas-uke,"

"I'm here, just hang on," I could hear the concern in his tone; it was painfully obvious. "Just hang on."

What felt like an eternity passed before I could tell that we'd stopped moving. My back was suddenly against something very cold and my breathing was finally beginning to even out.

"Shi, are you okay?"

I smiled the best I could and peeled my lids open just enough to see Sasuke peering down at me. His eyes that were so often filled with loathing when they looked at me were completely different now. Now, they were oozing with a mixture of worry and relief; it was strange considering I didn't even know Sasuke was capable of any emotion other than hatred or anger. An awkward sort of giggle bubbled from my throat.

"Are you _laughing?_"

I nodded. "You're worried about me,"

"You're damn right I'm worried," He replied. "You could've died back there. Why wouldn't I be worried?"

"Because you hate me, remember?"

A veil of silence fell over us. "That doesn't mean I want you to die," he murmured under his breath before turning his attention to Jesse. "Now, do you want to tell me what the fuck just happened?"

"There's this sort of gas that the counselors use, mainly for the solitary confinement freaks, that tap dances on a very fine line between knocking someone out and killing them." Jesse explained in a rush while peeking out into the hallway. I guessed he was waiting for the signal from Shawn who was somewhere further down the hall. "Whenever they get a little too rowdy or the counselors just don't want to deal with them, all they have to do is flip a switch and this gas leaks out from the vents in the cells. I guess Shi was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and got a taste of it. We're just lucky we got her out of there in time or we would've been seriously screwed."

"So, I got poisoned is what you're saying?" I asked, leaning up on my elbows. I was finally getting control of my body again, but I still felt woozy and disoriented.

"Basically,"

"Awesome,"

It was silent for a moment as Jesse slipped out into the dark hall. "We'd better get moving."

...

"Awh, there's our little kitten," Gwen cooed as I sat down the next day at lunch. "We were beginning to think you'd ran away on us."

"Gwen, stop it." Lucy nudged her before turning her attention to me. "So, how was the mission, Shi?"

I shrugged, attempting to calm the festering pool of annoyance and anger that boiled in the pit of my stomach. "Fine, I guess. Roman said he'd send a message when everything was ready."

"Did he, now?" Gwen raised an intense eyebrow. "And what did this _Roman_ kid look like, hm?"

"He's locked away in a metal box with a window the size of your fist in it," I fired back. "It's not like we met for coffee and had a nice chat."

"So, you _don't _know?"

"That's what I just said,"

"Interesting," she pursed her lips. "So, what else did he say?"

"Nothing really," I narrowed my eyes at her. _What's she getting at? _"Just that he could make them and that he'd send a message when they were ready."

"What kind of message?" she asked quickly. "Like you said, he's locked up in a box. How's he supposed to get you anything?"

"I don't know, Gwen," I ground my teeth together in frustration. She was _really _starting to piss me off. "What exactly are you getting at?"

"_Me?" _she gasped in mock surprise, her mouth gaping open for emphasis. "I'm not getting at anything. I'm just wondering what happened in there just like the rest of us."

"Really? Because you're the only one who's asking about it," I spat hotly. "Everyone else seems to actually _trust_ me and if you don't, then you can leave."

Gwen's whole expression immediately shifted from utterly fake to undeniably combative; she was preparing to strike back. "_I _can leave? _You _should be the one leaving! This group needs a strong leader and you're the complete opposite! _I _should be the one leading this half of the opperation! You've done nothing but-"

"Risk her life for our cause?" Sasuke jumped in, his face the definition of pissed off. "And tell me, Gwen, what have _you _done for this opperation that makes you think that you should be alpha female, hm?"

"_I'm _the muscle behind this half of the opperation!" she retorted. "Without me, we'd have an imbalance between the two sides and these three would be even weaker than they already are!"

"It's true, you _are _very strong and an amazing ally, but it's not like you're irreplacable." Sasuke shrugged indifferently. "And these three are anything but weak."

"Oh, really?" Gwen grabbed a fist full of Reina's hazelnut tresses and yanked her head back so all of us could see her face. "And tell me, what has _this _one done for the good of our cause? I haven't heard her say a single word since we've been planning this whole thing!"

Sasuke whipped out a memo pad and slammed it down on the table in front of Gwen with a more than audible _slap. _"She's our mastermind behind this entire opperation. Reina's been plotting out a map of the entire building and planning our best escape routes for when we're on the offensive. Now, if you want that hand, I suggest you let her go."

"_Ugh!" _she let out a frustrated roar before ripping her hand out of Reina's hair.

"Listen here, Gwen. You have two options," Sasuke continued calmly. "You either fall in line with the others and look at everyone as your equal, or you leave. Your choice."

"Fine," Gwen spat, standing from the table. "Just _try _and replace me."

"Don't worry, we will."

I could feel Gwen's gaze burning holes in the back of my head as she leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Don't play with fire, little girl."

I sucked in a shallow breath and ignored the icy shiver that rolled up my spine like a tidal wave, not bothering to give her the satisfaction of a reply.

"Just wait until your guard dog's not around," she added before finally walking away, flipping her fiery curls over her shoulders.

The rest of lunch was completely silent, at least until the end.

"Are you okay?" Sasuke asked as everyone threw out the remnants of their lunches.

"I'm fine," I replied. "and I don't need you to protect me. I can handle myself."

"I was just trying to-"

"Well, don't," I interrupted him icily. "I can stand on my own two feet."

"Alright," he nodded in understanding. "I won't protect you anymore."

"Good," I returned the nod before heading out with the rest of the girls.

...

I laid in bed that night unable to even fathom the prospect of sleep. I rolled over in bed so that I was facing the wall. _Listen to the walls. They will tell you all you need to know. Yeah right. _I rolled my eyes and sighed. _How am I supposed to listen to the damn walls? _I pursed my lips in thought. The first thing I could think of was literally _listening _to the walls, so I sat up in bed and pressed my ear to the dry wall, hearing nothing but the hum of the air conditioning system. I sighed again and thought harder. _What now? _I sat in the perpetual darkness for an immeasurable amount of time, still unable to hear anything but the beating of my heart. Then, an idea came to me. Almost as if it was a instinct, I reached out in front of me until my fingertips were firmly pressed against the wall. _Maybe if I..._

I swallowed hard and closed my eyes, breathing evenly as if I was meditating. Behind my lids, a beautiful girl appeared. She was devoid of all color, even her _skin_ was pure white, and had flowing locks that nearly reached the floor. Her eyes were shut and an innocent smile played with her lips as her hands came together in front of her, almost as if she were praying. _Listen carefully, child._ My heart fluttered restlessly as she spoke; this _had _to be a figment of my imagination. _I am aware of your predicament and have come to a conclusion: I shall give you a gift. If you should decide to misuse this devine gift, then I shall reclaim it. But, if I must revoke this gift, then I will be forced to reclaim your soul as well. Use it wisely, child._ With that, she faded away into whichever facet of my imagination she originated from, leaving me alone once again in the darkness of my room.


End file.
